Lin Yaoyao

"Take my punch!"

With a stomp of his foot, he gathered spiritual power into his fist and blasted it out with explosive force.

"You're courting death!"

Su Hao shouted coldly. He stepped forward, twisted his waist halfway, and sent his fist straight ahead as well.

"Ah!"

The two fists collided, and the air between them exploded with a thunderous boom.

A miserable scream rang out at the same instant as Bai Yu's body flew straight backward.

The people gathering around changed expression drastically. The rumors of Su Hao's rise had now been thoroughly confirmed—he had recovered the terrifying talent he possessed five years ago.

"Damn it, hit him! Beat him to death!"

Bai Yu flew into a rage. He had never imagined Su Hao's strength would be so great. This was not the strength of Qi Condensation, Second Layer at all, but the immense force of Qi Condensation, Third Layer—three thousand jin in full.

Yet being beaten in public sent the flames of rage soaring within him. In the past, Su Hao had been someone he could toy with however he pleased. Now that Su Hao had become so formidable, Bai Yu was consumed with jealousy.

As his voice fell, a dark-skinned giant of nearly two meters stepped forward and said in a deep, muffled voice, "Apologize to my master, and I don't want to fight you."

"Lin Yaoyao, what the hell are you spouting? Hit him! Beat him to death! You're a slave I bought. You do whatever I tell you to do!" Bai Yu roared furiously.

The tall man looked at Su Hao with some shame. "Sorry, I... must make a move."

Su Hao glanced at him. The man looked honest and simple, and struggle filled his eyes. He did not wish to attack Su Hao, but was helpless under Bai Yu's orders.

Boom!

The giant unleashed his cultivation. He was actually at Qi Condensation, Third Layer. His aura erupted, causing the surrounding air to crackle violently, like flickering currents of electricity.

The surrounding crowd changed expression in shock and immediately retreated. Some looked at Su Hao with sneers. This useless young master had only just recovered and already came out to swagger around. Now he was surely in for a miserable end.

Bang!

Su Hao's expression remained unchanged. As the giant's fist came crashing toward him, his own fist exploded forward. With a rumbling boom, the two fists collided again, and the air detonated even more violently.

Hiss!

The crowd looked on and immediately sucked in cold breaths.

Even a Qi Condensation, Third Layer cultivator had been forced back by Su Hao.

As everyone stared at the calmly standing youth, their eyes filled with fear.

Su Hao had trained in the mountain forest, fought demonic beasts, and absorbed Demonic Cores. His cultivation had improved again. Though he had not broken through, he had reached Qi Condensation, Late Second Layer, enough to crush Qi Condensation, Third Layer cultivators with ease.

Bai Yu froze for a moment, then his expression twisted with rage. But his anger was not directed at Su Hao. He viciously kicked the giant several times and cursed, "You useless trash! Why did I buy you back? You can't even deal with a piece of garbage. I might as well slaughter you."

The giant, Lin Yaoyao, lowered his head. Endless humiliation filled his eyes, yet he did not resist. With his strength, he could easily beat Bai Yu to death, but he endured it.

"Stop!"

Su Hao stepped forward, seized Bai Yu's arm, and flung it aside with brute force.

He fixed his gaze on the giant. "Why don't you resist? He beats you. Don't you have hands and feet?"

The giant was stunned. He was a slave, bought by the Bai Family. No one had ever cared whether he lived or died or treated him kindly. The only demand was that he constantly grow stronger and serve his master. If his cultivation progressed too slowly, he would be beaten, cursed, or slaughtered.

"I... I'm a slave," he stammered.

From his eyes, Su Hao saw honesty, as well as the sorrow and helplessness of being a slave.

"You're not anymore. Come with me." Su Hao's voice was cold.

"Bullshit. Every one of them has been planted with a Life-and-Death Talisman by my Bai Family. With a single thought, I can take his life. Ask him if he dares to leave with you." Bai Yu sneered. "Su Hao, even if you've recovered and your strength is decent, dreaming of meddling in my Bai Family's affairs is nothing but a fool's dream."

"Lin Yaoyao, get back here!" Bai Yu shouted coldly.

Lin Yaoyao struggled, but under the effects of the Life-and-Death Talisman, he did not dare disobey. He gave Su Hao a grateful look before turning to leave.

Bang!

But just as he took a step, a pair of strong hands gripped his shoulders. "I said you're coming with me. Today, you're coming with me no matter what."

As his voice fell, Su Hao strode forward, looking down at Bai Yu on the ground. "You have a way to undo the Life-and-Death Talisman, don't you?"

Bai Yu's heart went cold at once beneath Su Hao's icy gaze, but he quickly sneered again. "I'm a young master of the Bai Family. If you dare touch me, my father won't let you off."

"You say I don't dare? Your father is a clan chief, and so am I. Do you think my Su Family fears your Bai Family?" Su Hao gave a cold smile, the chill in his eyes deepening. "I'll give you three seconds to undo the Life-and-Death Talisman. Otherwise, I'll cripple you right now!"

As he spoke, Su Hao stomped viciously on Bai Yu's dantian. With a single thought, he could make the dantian explode and turn Bai Yu into a cripple.

An incomparably cold chill surged into Bai Yu's body, making him tremble all over. The blood-red glint in Su Hao's eyes made him understand that this youth truly dared to kill him.

Overwhelmed by terror, Bai Yu tremblingly took a jade plaque from the storage pouch at his waist. Within this jade plaque lay the means to control Lin Yaoyao's Life-and-Death Talisman.

Once this jade spirit talisman was crushed, Lin Yaoyao's head would immediately explode.

Su Hao took the item and examined it. With the Devil Lord's Inheritance, his discernment was naturally not lacking. This type of Life-and-Death Talisman was comparatively much simpler. Once Su Hao reached Qi Condensation, Fifth Layer, he could immediately undo it.

"Let's go!"

Putting away the jade plaque, Su Hao called out and left directly with the giant.

"Why... did you save me?" Having become a slave, Lin Yaoyao had long since lost all hope for his fate. The only thing he thought about was becoming stronger. If he was useful enough to his master, he would not be killed.

That was also an important reason why his cultivation had surpassed Bai Yu's despite his lack of resources.

"I had a good feeling about you. From now on, you'll follow me." Su Hao smiled faintly. The Innate Dao Body and the Devil Lord's Inheritance had given him vision beyond the ordinary. Lin Yaoyao's cultivation aptitude was rare; in the future, he could become an expert.

Moreover, although Su Hao had the Supreme Elder backing him in the Su Family, relying on others was inferior to relying on oneself. He had to cultivate his own trusted followers.

"You had a good feeling about me?" Lin Yaoyao was stunned. To him, that was already praise. No one had ever spoken to him like that before. Besides, Su Hao's tone held no bossy arrogance, but treated him as an equal.

"Of course. Under me, you must become stronger quickly. If you remain ordinary, perhaps one day I'll abandon you as well, or return you to the Bai Family." Su Hao smiled.

Yet those words were meant to spur the giant on. He had saved him this time, but next time they might encounter an even stronger enemy. If Su Hao was absent or unable to handle the foe, then what?

On this continent, the only thing one could trust was one's own strength.

"Lin Yaoyao thanks you, Master." The giant immediately bowed in gratitude. He could feel that following Su Hao would be countless times better than following Bai Yu. At least Su Hao treated him as a person, unlike Bai Yu, who ordered him about and treated him like livestock.

"I don't like being called Master. Call me Brother Hao, or Clan Chief." Su Hao smiled, then added, "Your name doesn't suit your build at all. Who gave it to you?"